September 10, 2007 - Strategy junkies have a lengthy wait until the next installment of
Advance Wars hits the DS, but Square Enix's Front Mission may tide them over
in the interim with its complex, twisting story and robot free-for-alls.
It's hard to go wrong when giant robot mechs are involved, especially when
it's your job to pilot squads of them into the heat of battle. Front Mission
games have enjoyed a healthy popularity in Japan, but only a few titles in
the series have reached U.S. shores. An updated version of the original
futuristic tactical RPG is headed our way soon.

Set in 2090, Front Mission revolves around a conflict between two warring
military powers muscling for control over Huffman Island. Around 20 years
prior, the first Huffman Conflict, between the Oceania Community Union and
the Unified Continental States, sparked a two-year war which ended with a
ceasefire and the territory being divided between the factions. A lengthy
period of peace is broken when the sudden destruction of U.C.S military
facility rekindles the conflict. The DS version of Front Mission will allow
you to play two separate campaigns; either as Royd Clive, the leader of a
O.C.U mercenary group, or Kevin Greenfield, the commanding officer of a
U.C.S special forces squad. Exploring both campaigns will offer a rounded
play experience, as each follows a completely different story.

Players will easily be able to pick out nods to various other excellent
strategy titles integrated in Front Mission's gameplay. With a presentation
similar to Final Fantasy Tactics, Front Mission's battles play out on a
grid-based, 3-D isometric field. At the start of each mission, players
deploy their mech units - which are strangely called "wanzers" - and proceed
in turn-based warfare against a variety of foes including mechs,
helicopters, tanks, mobile weapon platforms, among others. The main
battlefield resides on the touch screen, but actual combat takes place on
the top screen, much like in the Advance Wars titles. When attacking or
being attacked, the upper DS screen shows a close-up view of the robots
pummeling or blasting the bolts out of one another. Movement, item
selection, and other tasks are accomplished with a mixture of stylus and
directional pad controls.

Some interesting play mechanics are thrown into the mix to shake the
formula up. Each wanzer can be completely customized with a wide range of
different parts, armaments, and items. The machine is divided into four
sections: left arm, right arm, body, and legs. Each section of the wanzer
can be separately damaged in battle, which opens up a range of strategic
possibilities during combat. Destroying the main body of the wanzer will put
the mech out of commission, damaging the legs will slow or immobilize the
unit, and destroying an arm will also scrap whatever weaponry happens to be
attached to it. Repair items can be used to fix damaged mechs, but it eats
up a turn and leaves you vulnerable to enemy fire. Mech pilots also gain
experience at regular intervals, which increases the effectiveness of your
wanzer on the field. Being armed to the teeth also helps.

So far, the game's isometric graphics are strong, but they don't aim to
dazzle. The entire presentation is also very cold and futuristic. Much of
the colors schemes consist of dark grays, browns, muted greens, and
similarly drab tones. It definitely adds to the future vibe, but may be a
visual turn off for players who have grown accustomed to bright and colorful
games on the DS.

To sum it up in brief, Front Mission has awesome giant robots, tactical
strategy, mech customization, futuristic warfare, and massive firepower all
on the Nintendo DS. It's about time. Wanzer battling is likely to elicit a
few low-brow puns, but the game looks to be a great fit for lovers of war
tactics and giant robots everywhere. Front Mission is slated for release in
late October 2007.

By
Nathan Meunier
CCC Freelance Writer

Features:

Utilizing Nintendo DS Touch Screen functionality and stylus-driven
controls, players can effortlessly navigate through the game's menus with a
tap of the screen.

All-new dual screen presentation keeps gamers immersed in the
action while providing them with vital information at a glance.

Experience a rich storyline, including the addition of exciting new
missions and new wanzers, along with the appearance of familiar characters
from other titles in the Front Mission series.

Friends can now challenge one another to intense wanzer battles
through the all-new multiplayer element, accessible via DS Wireless Play.

Choose a side in the warfare between the O.C.U. and the U.C.S. and
experience both sides of the conflict.

Yoshitaka Amano, famed character designer of the popular Final
Fantasy franchise, brings stunning character illustrations to the origin of
the everlasting Front Mission saga.